Radom Thoughts On Passing Scenes

This is one of the best moments from ALMOST FAMOUS. I just love this exchange. There is something truly ULTIMATE in these words. Not just about aesthetics, but about the spirit. Christ is God sharing in our uncoolness. Here in this dark scene, these two people share a spiritual communion, because they share the status of being outside, and they share the interminable desire to be 'inside'. We all want to belong, especially to other people. We all want to be accepted, to be cool. Even when we embrace our uncoolness, we are often just seeking a more subtle kind of 'cool'. But the only currency in this bankrupt world is what you share with someone when you are uncool.

OWNING MAHONEY is not as well known a film as ALMOST FAMOUS, though Hoffman's performance is just as good or better. This is a film about gambling addiction in particular but it is a powerful commentary on addiction itself. This is the hell of the addict. It took me nearly ten years of spiritual work to experience any thrill as great or greater than that which I knew when I did drugs. And even now, the ease of getting to that level is tempting. An addict cannot find the thrill in life anywhere else. And they mourn that loss.

While I've come to regret the central place this film played in my life when I did drugs (and I've not seen the entire film since I quit), I do still like this quote. I've known some great mutants in my life, people who really add spice and flavor to existence. I still think this is one of the finest compliments you can give to a person.

Comic Book Reviews 2- Release Date 7-2-2014

Marvel's DEADPOOL VS X-FORCE #1
This is a fun story that recounts events that were supposed to have taken place in the early 90s. Deadpool has a time machine and X-Force (known at this time as the New Mutants) is going after him. Deadpool's dialogue is (as usual) brilliant, and I like the overall thrust of the comic book. Nothing here is all that original but some of the scenes are excellent. I'm really becoming a big Deadpool fan.
Storyline: 3 Stars
Dialogue: 4 Stars
Pacing: 3.5 Stars
Art: 3.5 Stars
Overall: 3.5 Stars

Boom! Comics' BIG TROUBLE IN LITTLE CHINA #2
We follow the continuing adventures of Jack Burton as he travels to a mysterious magical world in search of the key to saving his friend. This issue was much better than issue #1 and I see a lot of potential here, though some of the dialogue is repetitive. I especially like Jack Burton's relationship with his new pet demon. This is a good book but if it doesn't pick up it won't be on my pull list for long.
Storyline: 3.5 Stars
Dialogue: 3 Stars
Pacing: 3 Stars
Art: 3 Stars
Overall: 3 Stars

Marvel's GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY: MOST WANTED
This book was okay. It was off the official GUARDIANS canon and I think it was some kind of movie prequel. I hope the film is better than this book. I like the individual ROCKET RACCOON comic that is out right now much better.
Storyline: 2.5 Stars
Dialogue: 3 Stars
Pacing: 3.5 Stars
Art: 3.5 Stars
Overall: 3 Stars

Marvel's NEW WARRIORS #7
The Warriors are pulled into the Inhuman wars as some are captured along with some Inhuman allies. It is interesting how closely the main Marvel universe is following Marvel Universe X right now and that continues to be an issue here. I liked Marvel Universe X. Do I like this turn towards it in the main Marvel Universe? I'm not sure yet. I have mixed feelings about it. This issue of this comic book works well, though. I especially like the way Scarlet Spider is handled. The art isn't the best, but the dialogue is solid. The story isn't especially original but the execution is good.
Storyline: 3.5 Stars
Dialogue: 3.5 Stars
Pacing: 3.5 Stars
Art: 3 Stars
Overall: 3.5 Stars

The Irony of The Righteous

The strangest thing about life is the way in which goodness gets so cloudy. A person can genuinely try to do the right thing, in spite of themselves, and still end up screwing everything up. You can do the right thing, and then get punished for it. I hate regretting doing the right thing, but if I'm honest I do regret it quite often. Doing the right thing and having nothing but trouble for your efforts, well that just sucks. And it makes doing the right thing very hard.

But you can also think you are doing the right thing, and the whole time do the wrong thing. The bigger problem in life is knowing the right thing and just resisting it. We usually do know what the right thing to do is, and we just don't do it. We often act like we don't know what the right thing to do is, but we really do and we avoid it. But there are times, plenty of times, when you have your heart in the right place, and you really want to do the right thing, but you don't know WHAT to do, and not acting seems clearly wrong. So you know you have to do something, but you don't know what, so you take a chance. Even worse is when you think you know what is right, when you think you have a handle on it, but later you realize you were wrong. It just feels awful.

Of have you ever known a group of people, all of whom loved each other, all who wanted the best for each other, but constantly hurt one another, or were hurt by some fact none of them could do anything about? It is terrible. People can love, and care and try to do right by each other and still hurt one another.

The hardest part of life may be that trying to do what is right, and putting one's all behind that, may not be enough. That goodness, however well perceived most of the time, and however much we all care about it, may be something that ultimately eludes our grasp. There is no place sin does not infect, there is no hope for a fully moral life. In the end righteousness is as much a matter of luck as anything else.

It is for this reason that we need salvation to be inferred upon us. We can never be sure we'll grab a hold of it. We must do our best, and throw ourselves on the mercy of God. We can only leave this life truly clean by avoiding doing anything at all. Such a disentangling is the ultimate evil and must be avoided at all costs. Kierkegaard and Bonhoeffer were right: the opposite of sin is not virtue, but faith.

Comic Book Reviews 1- Release Date 7/2/2014

I had a ton of comic books I picked up on 7/2/2014 and so I'll do half the reviews now and half later.

DC's SUPERMAN UNCHAINED #7
This book has been cancelled, and so the last few issues are coming out VERY slowly. I was so ready for this issue, and man it did not disappoint. While Batman and Wonder Woman fight Wraith, Superman faces down a powered-up US military. The results are wondrous. The art is what really stands out here, though the dialogue is solid to. The storyline isn't totally original but the themes are handled in some new ways. Overall this is a good book and I liked this issue.
Storyline: 4 Stars
Dialogue: 4 Stars
Pacing: 4 Stars
Art: 4.5 Stars
Overall: 4 Stars

DC's and Dynamite's BATMAN MEETS THE GREEN HORNET #2
Kevin Smith's foray into the silly world of the original BATMAN series continues as we find out that the Joker is behind much of the antics of General Gumm. The continued animosity of the caped crusader towards the Hornet really adds to the overall story. This definitely harkens back to their original meeting in the 60s (that was one of my favorite episodes of the old series). The cover art by Alex Ross really adds to the overall aesthetic which is already tops. I'm enjoying all of this so much.
Storyline: 4 Stars
Dialogue: 4.5 Stars
Pacing: 4 Stars
Art: 4.5 Stars
Overall: 4.5 Stars

DC's EARTH 2 #25
While this Darkseid/Evil Superman storyline is taking a little too long for me, I'm enjoying the new characters introduced through this storyline more and more. The new 'good' Superman and his now tempered pacifism is very interesting, and I like the way Green Lantern and Flash are taking charge. It has been so refreshing to have my favorite EARTH 2 characters take front and center again. This continues to be one of DC's best.
Storyline: 3.5 Stars
Dialogue: 4 Stars
Pacing: 4 Stars
Art: 4 Stars
Overall: 4 Stars

Theology In BATTLESTAR & DS9

I'm having two sci fi experiences that are really causing the theological juices to flow. I'm watching for the first time the 2000's BATTLESTAR GALACTICA. Boy, is it good. The acting is ridiculous, and the themes are so rich. The show is permeated with religion and myth. The original series (which I barely watched a long time ago), was heavily steeped in Mormonism, and that symbolism is present here as well, though the overall show seems to include a critique of Mormonism in that the Cylons (the cybernetic race at war with humanity) are critical of the polytheism of their human counterparts.

The Cylon race is trapped between the programming that makes up their minds and the spirituality born of their newly found consciousness. They do things that seem very constricted by binary feelings yet they seem aware of so much more. Their is horror and wonder in so much of what they do. The show even has angels. Theological reflection is literally everywhere and I love it.

While I'm watching BATTLESTAR for the first time, I'm also RE-watching STAR TREK: DEEP SPACE NINE. I had forgotten how religious this show was. STAR TREK has generally lacked a lot of direct theological reflection, though the other series certainly touched on philosophical issues relevant to faith issues. But so many of the DS9 episodes directly struggled with issues of faith and theology. I was shocked. DS9 has always been my favorite overall TREK series, and now I fully realize why.

A friend once told me that all truly great science fiction is deeply theological. Certainly most of my favorite sci if is. Additional to the television shows I'm watching I'm revisiting the early ADAM WARLOCK stories which are Christ parables. There is something about the power of religion, manifesting in these forms. I've commissioned an art project that will kind of visually express what it all means to me. I'll show you when I get it. For now, I commend all these aesthetic adventures to you. But ultimately I commend to you the one who reveals to us the Reality which all this reflects, and the fact all this fiction points to: Jesus Christ.

The Most Important And Difficult Part of My Job

One of the hardest parts of my job is availability. The most important things I do, I do without much of an audience. A parent, or a youth, or some random stranger is in need of a temporary companion, they need someone to represent God's presence to them. Just being there, is what is needed. This is not usually something you plan. It just happens. And it can happen anywhere, at any time. I have to be available for this to happen. I have to be open to the signs God gives that someone around me is in need, and I have to be ready to respond to those signs. Not just in terms of being there, either, it is important to have something substantive to say, if you are really going to make a difference. Listening is the most important part, and the biggest part, but it isn't the only part.

The end result is that you can be in the middle of doing a million other things for your job and in a moment hours are shaved off your day because someone is in need. You need and must be present in mind, body and spirit. This is the most important part of your job, but not the only part. It is so hard, however, to bracket off all the rest of what is going on to really put your all into this calling, found in this person in the here and now. It is an honor and privilege to serve God in this way, but there is frustration too. It also means you are basically on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Need can come from any corner, at any time. It can be hard. Someone overheard me giving this kind of help today and they were sympathetic when the realized what my life is really like. But there is no need for sympathy. Not really. I'm happy with it all. But the work is real, and can be consuming. No sympathy is not necessary. But understanding once in a while, that would be nice.

Off-Topic: Comic Book Reviews 2

DC's JUSTICE LEAGUE DARK #32
Well, this exploration of the Nightmare Nurse turned out to be a good, but not great, storyline. There was a lot here to like, but it felt like it dragged in parts and the ending was a little too neat and tidy for my tastes. Still, it was nice to see the team in a more focused situation and not as a part of some world-spanning uber-story. We're being eased back into a regular pattern and that is a good thing. The art continues to be through the roof excellent and this is just one of the best books for art DC has. The next issue is supposed to be all about Deadman and I'm VERY happy about that. He's the main reason I collect this book.
Storyline: 3 Stars
Dialogue: 3 Stars
Pacing: 3 Stars
Art: 4 Stars
Overall: 3.5 Stars

DC's BATMAN 66 #12
This issue wasn't as good as some of the others have been, though there were some interesting twists with the way the villain's obsession with diamonds backfired on here. I love the in-your-face irony that takes place in this book (as it did in the original series). Even a weaker issue of this series is better than much of what is coming out elsewhere. The coloring continues to deliver though the art here wasn't as strong as it has been in other issues. Overall very good but not quite great.
Storyline: 3.5 Stars
Dialogue: 3.5 Stars
Pacing: 3 Stars
Art: 3.5 Stars
Overall: 3.5 Stars

Marvel's DEADPOOL VS CARNAGE #4
This limited series finishes up with Deadpool bonding with several alien symbiotes. Deadpool's powers tend to be malleable and he is a being that seems easy to manipulate for comic effect. We see that here big time. Wow, this issue was good. I loved the way the whole thing resolved and the dialogue continued to rock my world. On every level, this was a great issue and a great book.
Storyline: 4.5 Stars
Dialogue: 4.5 Stars
Pacing: 3.5 Stars
Art: 4 Stars
Overall: 4.5 Stars

DC's BATMAN BEYOND UNIVERSE #11
Usually this book has two stories, one with the Justice League and one with Terry Mcginnis' Batman. But here the two stories are really one, and I just loved the direction both are going. The story that lead into this one, with Brainiac, I thought was good. This new one with the Justice Lords is even better. There were some serious twists I did not see coming and the characters are really developing here. This book has good dialogue, a great story, though the art leaves something to be desired. The pacing has evened out, too. I am just loving this book.
Storyline: 4.5 Stars
Dialogue: 3.5 Stars
Pacing: 4 Stars
Art: 3 Stars
Overall: 4.5 Stars